Some are assigning its irrefutable presence to geophysical phenomena – climate change is a reality, solar flares are coming fast and furious; even the gradual reversal of our magnetic poles has gotten airplay in the mainstream.

Others are using prophecy as their measuring stick for the apocalyptic inevitability; Nostradamus, Cayce, cryptic hieroglyphs within the tombs of Egypt – presaging the current times, the Mayans, the Hopi, all have their version of the now in which we live.

And still others are immersed in the epidermis layer of our daily reality – economy, global conflict, violence. We are uneasy to be sure.

But how do we respond to such tumult? What is this inevitable shift really beckoning, assuming there is such?

The term “revolution” has seeped its way into pop culture’s lexicon like a music video going viral on the Internet. Involved souls have re-ignited their right to use their voice and their actions to “just say no,” in a mass choir of occupation and revolt.

Protest has long been mankind’s way of cleansing the bloodstream of complacency and acceptance. When we continue to accept status quo, victim mentality will eventually give way to “Wait a minute – what have you been doing to me? No more!” And protest can be a great detoxifier both individually and en masse.

History is replete with accounts of mass revolution giving way to the overthrow of dictatorships and the ushering in of civil rights. No doubt, true democracy in action is participation which should inevitably lead to the crumbling of a system that’s broken to make way for a new one that works.

But in these unique times for which we live, revolution is only one piece of a greater whole that cannot afford to be overlooked.

Evolution, which is defined as “any process of formation or growth; development,” is indeed a part of the revolution process, but as the word implies and as the literal meaning will bear out – you cannot have revolution without evolution. Stated more clearly, unless the individual is willing to evolve itself – the revolution will be in vain. Ergo, we are the change we’ve been waiting for.

Look at the words and their respective roots:

When you take revolution, the root is revolve, meaning the act of going around in a cyclical fashion. This could be taken to mean that one revolves but never goes anywhere – it’s just the act of repeating an action or movement.

Evolution yields the verb – evolve; the act of growing from seed to flower, from caterpillar to butterfly – a metamorphosis. Simply becoming something that we weren’t before.

This is not to say that involving one’s self in protest, especially one of peaceful rapport cannot be effective. History illustrates that this certainly can be. But clearly and honestly, there is an aspect of the human habit that has a hunger to get involved in a cause, just for “getting involved” sake. Raising your voice, holding a sign and bonding through that process means something to us. What happens, however is that one can get so wrapped up in the act of protest that they lose sight of what they are protesting about. Then it simply becomes a distraction that allows those we are protesting against to carry on the very thing that we are trying to stop.

Evolution is a natural process of becoming; a gradual union with the All-That-Is. Call it God, Creator – the names are not important, but the unconditional desire to know that state of being and then taking the steps to become closer to it – to evolve – are truly what may be beckoning our attention right now.

So what does that mean? Moreover, how do we evolve? The good news is that a large consensus believes that process is underway. Many are opting to make lifestyle changes, whether it is a diet from network news or from the heavily processed foods that we eat. Proliferating acts of kindness and in the spirit of pay it forward to spread true and unconditional love throughout the planet. Moments of quiet and solitude are slowly replacing the “guilty pleasures” of reality TV and thumbing texts at every available moment.

Baby steps toward evolution are leading one up a grander staircase and the result is a shift, not only on our physical planet but in our very consciousness.

Researcher and speaker David Wilcock has a great video presentation whose title speaks volumes. It’s called “Occupy Your Self” which you can find on his web site, divinecosmos.com, and on YouTube. It makes a wonderful and compelling case about the things that we can do both individually and collectively to bring about the evolutionary shift that is knocking at our door. I urge you to watch it, then sit and contemplate how you might integrate even just a few of these practices into your life for true evolution.

So let’s keep in mind as we go about our new found fervor, that unless and until we are willing to embrace and act upon the true process of individual evolution, revolution will not and cannot occur. For as philosopher William James said, “The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.”